Artificial foot



May 10, 1927- G. M. FRINK ARTIFICIAL FOOT Filed Nov. 5, 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 1 gnpenloz May 1927' G. M. FRINK ARTIFICIAL FOOT Fi1 edNov.' 5. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 I 3 1 I 'g Patented lllay lit l, i927LtfZSAt GEORGE M. FRINK, O1 CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

ARTIFICIAL FOOT.

Application filed. November The invention relates to improvements inartificial feet to support the natural foot of a short limb as anextension thereof and has for its principal object the provision of anartificial foot that presents the appearance of a natural foot, andserving in the place of the natural foot and permitting it to be wornwithout weariness to the wearer, the device having four motions, apivotal motion front and back, and a slight canting motion to right andto left, thus simulating the action of a natural ankle oint.

lhe invention also has for its object the provision of a device composedof sections articularly connected and comprising upper and lowersections, that is, a platform resembling a human foot and a heel supportsupported on said platform and shaped to sustain the natural foot, saidplatform and heel support being adapted to move relatively to oneanother in the act of walking.

Another object of the invention is the provision of aconstruction offoot made in two sections, the front or toe section being so connectedwith the remainder of theplatform that it will oscillate to a limiteddegree to simulate a toe joint. i

The invention will be described in detail hereinafter and will be foundillustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure l is a sideview in elevation of the improved artificial foot showing the naturalfoot in broken lines in position thereon,

Figure 2, a bottom plan View,

Figure a view similar to Figure l with the heel and back portion of theartificial foot in horizontal section,

Figure l, a transverse sectional view on a plane indicated by the linek4: of Figure 3,

Figure a fragmental detail on an en larged scale on a plane indicated bythe line 55 of Figure 3, and I V Figure 6, a transverse sectional viewof the heel support on a plane indicated by the line G6 of Figure l.

In the drawings similar reference characters will be used to designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views.

l he artificial foot comprises a'platform l made up of two sectionsdesignated 2 and 3 that are secured to a plate a of resilient materialsuch for instance as spring steel, the adjacent faces of tire parts 2and 3 being provided with mating recesses and 6 in which recesses ismounted a block '7 of 5, 1925. Serial-No. 67,052.

cushion material such forinstance as rubber. The lower portions of theparts 2 and 3 under the recesses 5 and G are formed with oppositelyinclined faces 8 and 9 to permit a slight movementof the two members 2and 3 to simulate the toe joint of a natural foot. I I

The upper face of the heel portion of the platform 1 is provided with atransverse groove 10 in which is seated a bearing sleeve 11 that formsthe bearing for a pivot pin 12, said sleeve being secured in position inthe platform 1 by means of an eye bolt 13 011 which is secured a nut letseated in a recess 15 in the under side of the platform 1.

.The upper face of the heel portion in said platform 1 at the rear ofthe transverse groove 10 is substantially horizontal as shown at 16,while the face in front of the transverse groove 10 is upwardly inclinedas shown at 17 Arms 18 are pivotally mounted on the pivot pin 12 andprovided with elongated slots 19 to receive said pivot pin. 20 is'a heelsupport secured between arms 18 by means of transverse bolts 21, theside faces of said heel support 20 being recessed as shown at 22 toreceive arms 18, 23 indicating recesses in the side faces of heelportion of platform 1 at the lower ends of said arms 18. j

The under side of the heel support 20 has two faces 2st and 25 providingan offset shoulder 26, and 27 is a block of cushion material, such forinstance as rubber mounted between the upper face of the platform 1 andthe under side of the heel support 20. By this construction it will beapparent that when the device is in use, the pivotal connectionheretofore described between the platform and the heel support willpermit forward and backward swinging of the heel support relatively tothe platform to simulate the pivotal movement of the ankle joint of anatural foot, and that the elongated slots 19 in the arms 18 will permitcanting of the platform 1 relatively to the position of the support 20to right or left to accommodatethe a 'tificial foot to unevennesses ofthe roadway, this action also being similar to the action of the anklejoint of a natural foot.

As shown in the drawings the arms 18 are extended above the heel support20 to form side supports for the natural foot and leg indicated indotted lines in the drawings,

